The Council of Europe decided on Friday to “
suspend
” all participation of Russian diplomats and delegates in the main bodies of the pan-European organization “
with immediate effect
”, in response to
the “armed attack
” against Ukraine.
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Since the invasion of Ukraine, this is the first sanction of this order pronounced by an international organization of which Russia is a member.
However, this decision does not concern the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the judicial arm of the Council of Europe, which will continue to offer its protection to Russian citizens, the Council said in a press release.
The suspension of Russia's "
representation rights
" concerns the Committee of Ministers, the "
executive
of the organization where diplomats from the 47 member states sit, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
However, Russia remains a member of the Council of Europe and bound by its conventions, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights, again according to the Council's press release, published after the second "
extraordinary meeting
" of the Committee ministers on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
"
The judge elected to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Russian Federation also remains a member of the Court and the applications brought against the Russian Federation will continue to be examined and decided by the Court
", underlines- he.
"
The suspension is not a permanent measure but a temporary one, leaving the lines of communication open
“, he says again.
The Council of Europe had already sanctioned Russia in 2014 shortly after the annexation of Crimea.
The Russian delegation within the PACE had been deprived of its right to vote, Russia responding by boycotting the sessions of this assembly and suspending the payment of its contribution to the Council's budget.
After five years of intense tension, the dispute had been settled and the Russian delegation had rejoined the PACE, to the great displeasure of the Ukrainian parliamentarians.
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Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Croatian Marija Pejcinovic Buric condemned "
strongly
" on Thursday the invasion of Ukraine, stressing that it could have "
devastating consequences for the whole continent
".